Landing skid for aeroplanes



May .19, 1931. A. N. LARSEN 1,805 9 LANDING SKID FOR AEROPLANES FiledMarch 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 amnion fly Zaraerz.

F I 7 if" a L y 1931- A. N. LARsEN 1,805,914

LANDING SKID-FOR AERQPLANES Filed March 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2uZZfJ/L Patented May 19,. 1931 um'rsio stares.

ALF N. LARSEIQL OF OGDEN, UTAH V LANDING SKID FGEf-AEROPLANES.

. Application filed March 20, 1930. Serial No. 437,468.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and has special reference tolanding skids for aeroplanes provided also with landing wheels so thatthe landing gear may be used either for solid ground or for ice andsnow.

One important object of the invention is' toimprove the generalconstruction of the landing gear in'aeroplanes.

A second important object of the invention is to provide an improvedarrangement to landing skids or skis mounted for swing ing into and outof operative position.

A third important object of the invention is to provide improved andnovel means for moving the skids or skis into and. out of operativeposition. I V

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide means for somoving. the skids operable by the pilot and arranged to move 29 theskids simultaneously. i

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists ingeneral of certain novel details of construction and combina tion ofparts hereinafter fully described, il- 25 lustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and j I Figure 1 is a front elevation of aportion of the landing gear and its control;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1 with theskids raised;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but 35 showing the skids inposition for use;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line 4- i of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 4; and Y Figure 6 is asection'on the line 66 of Figure 5 to enlarged scale. r

In the drawings accompanying this specification, there is shown onlythoseportions of the aeroplane landing gear which are directly connectedwith the invention and as here shown these parts include a hollow axle10 carrying the usual landing wheels 11 and braced to the fuselage ofthe aeroplane by struts 12.

In order to carry out theinvention the hollowaxle 13 is transverselyexpanded inits central portion and movable longitudinally said axle area pair of rack bars having upwardly facing horizontal rack teeth 14 attheir outer ends. I The middle sections 15 of these bars are offsetlaterally and'are pro-. vided with reduced and overlapping endporv tions16 having vertical rack teeth17 on their confronting faces. gear 18positioned centrally of the axlemeshes with the teeth 17 on both sides.A vertical shaft19 is keyed or otherwise secured to this gear andextends up.

into the cock-pit of the aeroplane, being there provided with a handwheel 20. Fixed to the axle 10 adjacent each end is a horizontalbearing. bracket 21in which is journalled a skid shaft 22 having a gear.23 formed centrally thereof and meshing with the teeth 1 1 of arespective rack bar. The ends ofthe shaft 22 i project from the ends ofthe bracket 21 and have skid arms 24 fixed thereto. These arms are ofsuficient length so that, when the arms are swungto bring the skids intouse the latcarry. a skid or ski 25 at their free ends and p the rackbars in or out and thus actuates the shafts 22 through the gears andconsequently swings the arms 24 and moves theskids as desired.

There has thus been provided simple and efficient device of the kinddescribed and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that changes may be madein' the form and construction ofthe invention without departing from the principles thereof. It is not,therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form, hereinshown and described but it is desired to include all such as come withinthe scope claimed. I

Having'thus described the invention What is claimed is r 1. Incombination with aeroplane landing gear including a shaft and a pair oflanding I wheels j ournalled thereon, bearing brackets fixed to the axleadjacent its ends, rock shafts supported in the respective bearings,skid arms fixed to respective rock shafts, skids carried by said arms, apilots control Wheel, and means operatively connecting the wheel andshafts to operate the latter simulta neously.

2. In combination with aeroplane landing gear including a shaft and apair of landing Wheels journalled thereon, bearing brackets fixed to theaxle adjacent its ends, rock shafts supported in the respectivebearings, skid arms fixed to respective rock shafts, skids carried bysaid arms, a pilots control wheel, a shaft for said wheel, a gear onsaid shaft, and rack bars meshing with said gear and geared to said rockshafts.

3. The combination with aeroplane land ing gear including a hollow shaftand landing wheels journalled'thereon, of a pair of rack bars in saidshaft provided with upwardly facing horizontal teeth at their outer endsand laterally spaced inner ends having vertical teeth on theirconfronting faces, a gear meshing with the teeth on said inner ends,gear shaft having said gear fixed thereon, a hand wheel at the upper endof said gear shaft, bearing brackets at the outer ends of said hollowshaft beyond said wheels, horizontal rock shafts journalled in saidbrackets and provided with gear meshing with the horizontal rack teeth,rock arms carried by said rock shafts, and skids carried by the freeends of said rock arms, said rock arms being of such length to permitthe skids to lie beneath the wheels in operative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALF N. LARSEN.

